The Space Between My Peers

After a couple of rainy days, the weather cleared up and turned spring. Yesterday we walked downtown. While I was happy later that I had brought my coat with me, my daughter reminded me that if we had our picture taken with our coats on it would basically be the same outfit we had already pictured.
A few comments about what I am wearing:

1. The pants are the ones I wore on the plane.  They are so comfortable!  Purchased at Value Village, they are Eddie Bauer and I paid a single dollar for them.  I think I got my money’s worth, don’t you?
2. I love my flats and they were great for the plane, but this day’s walk was a bit too far to go in them.  Also, I should add that I am not seeing many ballet flats or moccasin-type slip-on shoes. 
3. For spring of 2008, I am relying on black & white & pink as my basic color scheme and it’s working really well for me.  I am still wearing lots of other colors, but when I’m having trouble making a decision it’s black/white/pink.

And a sad story:  this particular outing, we met some friends downtown and, while the dads watched the kids play in the town square, the ladies went to a fancy “bar” (a gourmet coffee bar).  DD ordered a hot chocolate, which was more like American cooked chocolate pudding than American hot chocolate milk (if anybody knows how to make Italian hot chocolate, please leave a recipe!).  I ordered coffee with caramel, stirred it, licked the spoon, and promptly knocked it over, spilling the entire thing!  I have never come so close to crying over a spilled beverage.  Of course, I knew it was good because I licked the spoon.  And I couldn’t even order another, I didn’t have any euros yet.

More later!

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Hey!  I look better than I thought!
Arriving in Trieste on Wednesday, the weather was beautiful and sunny. The following two days it rained. I have never seen so many great umbrellas! If I didn’t already have one I like, I’d be shopping for one here.

What I will be shopping for: shoes!

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Just a quick update.  We arrived safely and are having a great time. 

For the nine hour international flight, I initially felt very hot and restricted.  The seats were astonishingly small!  I stowed my coat in overhead storage, retrieving it prior to landing (we only had a little over an hour to make our connection in Munich - a whole ‘nother story!), I took my jacket off and stuffed it under the seat, getting it back out later to use as a blanket, and I rolled the sleeves of my dress shirt up until the air kicked in.  Other than that, I was quite comfortable in the outfit I chose. 

And I received several compliments on my shoes! 

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For traveling, I plan to wear some variation of the outfit pictured - shoes that slip off and on easily - with my big wool coat over.
Hopefully my friend will take a few pictures that I can post from Italy.

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It’s snowy! I’m half-packed (not half-baked!) and I’m heading to MOPS wearing a variation of this outfit, which sweater I thought was long put away for the season. But fair isle and sequins somehow seem appropriate today.

Recently I’ve been surprised to see alot of ladies running around in fun rain-type boots. In my mind they are always uncomfortable; are the new styles better? My younger daughter has been looking for years for the kind with the little handles to pull them on, too bad so many cute things only come in little kids sizes. But these come in women’s and are only $19.99 at Target. They would have been perfect for this snowy spring day.

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I picked them up yesterday; each and every family member visibly relaxed when I tried them on for them. After I at least pluck my eyebrows, I’ll try to get someone to shoot me in them.

In the meantime, here is a picture:

They look sort of pinkish here, but they aren’t. They really are just black and white.

Any thoughts on why they look normal on me?

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Let’s start with the bad news:

• there’s been a death in the family (my hero’s grandfather).
• the trench doesn’t want to iron. I’m not giving up yet, but it’s not looking good (labeling says ‘do not iron, do not dry clean’). Suggestions?
• I have an abundance of work to do yet on my taxes, and some complications to work through.

The good news:

• $1 Monday at Value Village: I found a pair of black pants. For a ministry I’m involved in, I need black pants at least a half-dozen times per year. And now that I have decided on a black and white palette for spring black pants are more of a “must-have” for my wardrobe, as they are for many of the rest of you. These are Eddie Bauer, fit very nicely, and are super-soft cotton.
• my new glasses are done. That should help alot with the reading necessary to complete the “bad news” paperwork.
• I’m going to Portland Fashion Week in October. I’ll stay with my sister. Anybody else planning on being there?

Okay, and since I need to get back to work on all the myriad things I must do before leaving next week, I’ll close with a quote from denim designer Michelle Siwy:

I think with the way information is processed these days, trends are staying longer and overlapping, which is causing people to just be unique individuals because they are no longer afraid or intimidated to try.

Read the entire Coutorture interview here.

I completely agree. And this is absolutely good news.  Once upon a time there may have been a more defined fashion cycle, but now there is so much information available to everyone. Fashion heroes are less trendsetters than they are just those who have discovered what works for them (their idiom) and are willing to stick to it ruthlessly. I’m not there yet.

What about you? Is there a new look you are a little afraid to try? Alternatively, is there a saturated look to which you feel both drawn and repulsed?

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Searching for something I could wear close to the body, to contain my valuables, I happened on this “passport wallet” which can hang from a strap or a belt (a modern take on the belt pack?).  On sale I paid $17.50.
In the past week or two, I have also bought a silver-gray trench coat (Gap Spring ‘07) and a peach three-quarter sleeve sweater for $1 each at ValVill.  A trench has been one of those “want” items for me for a year or two, but never enough of a need to spend any real money.  No pictures yet because I’m behind on my ironing.

I also scored a couple of really great tops at Macy’s yesterday:  one is a white, roll-sleeve button-up (feeding my inclination to have a summer of nothing but white tops) and a burgundy light-weight sweater with half-length poofy sleeves (found in the fitting room).  Both were marked down to $9.99, from $49 and $78 respectively.

Total since I last posted an update:   $42.62.

Any recent scores you’d like to share? 

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Color the next couple of weeks frantic.  The time has finally arrived for my Italy trip.

What makes this the time to de-lurk?  Since this blog is set up that I have to approve your first comment, if I am not able to log on for a few days first-time commenters may end up with their comments languishing in the approval queue.

This is a conversation, why not jump in now?

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What do you picture when you hear the term “authentic vans”?

Everyone I’ve asked so far pictures the old slip-on style checkered shoes, which make a cameo appearance in this David Crowder video.

It seems, however, that the word “authentic” has a new definition. Does it mean “retro” now? “Traditional”? The reason I ask is because these are what Urban Outfitters is calling authentic vans.They look like keds to me.

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